English Coursework - Romeo And Juliet

English Coursework Romeo and Juliet

Write a letter to one of the actors involved in Act lll Scene l, explaining to them the importance and dramatic qualities of the scene. Advise them about their character’s role in the events of the play as a whole.

Dear Antonio,

Congratulations on your successful audition for the part of Mercutio in the play "Romeo and Juliet". Rehearsals start next week and it is important that you have a good understanding of the play and your character. In brief I am writing to inform you and give you an overview of the theme of violence in the play and explaining to you the dramatic qualities of Act lll Scene l.

The tragedy of “Romeo and Juliet” is about two young “star-crossed lovers” that end in take their own lives due to their feuding families. Mercutio is one of the main characters in "Romeo and Juliet" even though he is neither a Montague nor a Capulet. His character in the play brings humor and comedy especially during Act lll Scene l when makes fun of the Capulets and calls Tybalt a “rat-catcher” and “could you not take some occasion without giving?” He normally speaks in Prose so they audience know he is joking and informal and the other characters do not take him seriously because of this and think of him as just a “joker”. However, he is also a good friend to Romeo and tries to defend him against Tybalt, which shows a loyal and protective side to Mercutio’s character.

Shakespeare sets mood in Act lll Scene l and describes the atmosphere as like “mad blood stirring” giving the audience the impression that it’s been a long hot day and everyone is frustrated and bad tempered. Shakespeare repeats the word “hot” putting extra emphasis on that it is a hot day, which suggests to the audience that a fight is inevitable and makes the anxious to see what happens next.

Mercutio is like most typical men that use violence and fighting to show their masculinity, even when Benvolio warns him that “the Capulets abroad” and if they meet “we shall ...

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Mercutio is like most typical men that use violence and fighting to show their masculinity, even when Benvolio warns him that “the Capulets abroad” and if they meet “we shall not ‘scape a brawl”. Mercutio replies “by my heel I care not” and does not back away from a fight. He does not try to stop any violence but instead he encourages it, taunting Tybalt calling him “my fiddlestick.” Shakespeare shows the rivalry and that everyone hot tempered and ready for a fight.

Act lll Scene l is one of the most crucial scenes in the play because it is tense and violent scene in which two of the main characters get killed. This scene is also in contrast to the romantic scene before it where Romeo and Juliet marry in secret. Shakespeare put this scene right after a very romantic one to keep the audience interested and make the play more exiting to watch. This scene is also important as it changes the outcome of the rest of the play, because of Romeo seeking revenge after Mercutio he kills Tybalt and therefore gets banished from Verona. Romeo and Juliet can no longer be together so with the help of the Frair, they come up with a plan that unfortunatly backfires and ends up in their tragic deaths.

Act lll scene l is not as chaotic of the opening fight scene, however it gets more personal especially between Mercutio and Tybalt with Tybalt accusing Mercutio of being "consortest with Romeo”. When Romeo arrives Mercutio and Tybalt both expect him to fight but he tries to calm the situation by saying that "I love thee better than thou canst dvise" and stop the fighting. Dramatic irony is when the audience knows something the characters don't, in the case of Romeo and Juliet the other characters are unaware of their marriage. So they don't understand Romeo's behavior and why he is so unwilling to fight Tybalt. He can't get into a fight because Tybat is now his relative and that could potentially ruin his marriage to Juliet. But it does not work and Mercutio goes to fight for him. Romeo, not wanting his best friend or his relative to get hurt, intervenes, causing Mercutio to be killed by Tybalt stabbing "under Romeo's arm."

Before he dies, Mercutio casts "a plague o' both your houses!" at this point he is feeling hurt and angry, but because he is always joking they don't believe he is sriously injured. This is the first time in the play where Mercitio is speaking in verse so you can tell that he is being serious. When delivering this line you could have one arm arm in the air and the other clenching your stomach where you nave just been stabbed. This is a dramatic part so to make the most impact you should be standing on something in the middle of the stage with all the other characters arround you shouting out your lines.